1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a time correcting device for a time signalling timepiece, and more particularly to a time correcting device for a time signalling timepiece which enables separate and direct correction of an hour hand and a minute hand by a finger, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in time signalling timepieces having such time signalling functions as time striking, Westminster Chime, pigeon jumping-out, etc. a minute hand and an hour hand are directly rotated by a finger when a timepieces is required for time correction, in other words, front correction is performed.
However, since the reduction ratio between an hour wheel and a center wheel differentiate the rotating speed, the hour hand and the minute hand are happened be moved at the same time in error, when the minute hand is overlapped upon the hour hand, and, as a result, the hour wheel slips out of the right position on an hour wheel pipe as well as the tooth portion of the hour wheel and the minute wheel gets broken.
In order to avoid the above mentioned happening the improved conventional time correction device for the timepiece is constructed in such a way that the clicking action between a click apparatus and click holes enables separate correction of the hour hand and the minute hand, wherein the click apparatus is attached so as to solidly rotate with the minute wheel and the click holes are perforated through the minute wheel so that the click apparatus can engage with the click holes of the minute wheel.
Therefore, according to the prior art device, the intermittent slip rotation of the minute wheel enables correction of the hour hand without any rotation of the minute wheel.
However, since the minute wheel slowly rotates once per three or four hours, small numbers of click holes, that is, three or four, must be perforated so that the click action can be performed at one hour unit. Accordingly, each of the click holes is perforated far away from each other, and there arises a case that the click apparatus stays unstable between the respective click holes. When the time indicating gear train is driven in such state that the click apparatus is not engaged with a clock hole, the indicated hour time does not accord with the time signalling action.
it is also hard to assemble the hour wheel and the minute since the click holes are perforated at equal interval through the minute wheel for the purpose of firm time correction at one hour unit, and the right hour positions of the minute wheel and the hour wheel must be accorded each other.
Furthermore, in case of the time correction by means of rotating the hour hand by a finger, since the hour wheel drives to turn the minute wheel subordinately, the holding force of the hour wheel to the hour wheel pipe must be set stronger than the pressure of the click apparatus so that the hour wheel can be rotated against the pressure of the click apparatus. Consequently, there arise drawbacks that the hour wheel slips out of the right position in the hour wheel pipe and it is hard to dismantle and to assemble the timepiece.